


A Heart That Feels Like Running

by Yenneferrrr



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Loss, Modern AU, Romance, They both get a puppy to help them with tough times, and I love it, relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23110003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yenneferrrr/pseuds/Yenneferrrr
Summary: It's not every day two strangers find a way to cope with loss in the same, exact way.
Relationships: Abby Griffin & Marcus Kane, Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane
Comments: 12
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo... I just got a new puppy and she's 100% the inspiration for this story. I'm not quite sure how many chapters I'll be able to make it, so just come along for the ride! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, as well! The song 'Silk' by Dustin Tebbutt also helped make this story happen!

The breakup had come so sudden, so unexpected. She’d be lying to herself and everyone she knew if she said it hadn’t taken her by surprise. She thought they’d be end-game; a wedding, the nice house with a fenced in yard, and a family. 

But now she was back at square one. 

Callie had showed up to her apartment on numerous occasions, often with a bottle of wine and some immature movie to make her feel better.

Aurora had pulled her out of the apartment on Friday nights, often to some new and up-coming bar, who’s owner she would always happen to know. 

Jackson was the one, ultimately, who had come up with the bright idea. 

“You know what you should do?” He had said while scrubbing his hands in the deep operating room sink.

Abby, a face mask tied to her face, was sure he was able to see her expression… or at least make a good guess.

“You should get a dog! It’s impossible to get sad with a dog around.”

“Do you know how much responsibility that is,” she deadpanned.

“Well correct me if I’m wrong, but not too long ago, you had your heart set on marrying someone with intentions of starting a family with that someone. Do you know how much responsibility that would have been?”

She’s taken back by his words, but mainly by how much truth was weighted in them. And just as she thought, he can sense his words have upset her, and stops his scrubbing mid-arm.

“I’m sorry. I didn't mean to-“

There’s a long silence between them, the only sound coming from the running water of her sink, and the occasional footsteps of technicians coming in and out of the now sterilized operation room.

“It’s fine,” she says behind her mask, slinging the water off from her fingertips and reaching for a sterile towel to dry her hands.

—

She finishes her week on-call, and wants nothing more than to rip off the stale scrubs and stand in her shower until the water goes cold. It’s nearly ten o’clock in the morning by the time she finishes up her notes and gives shift report to the oncoming attending. 

With her backpack slung over one shoulder, she pushes her way through the hospital staff until she’s reached her car. 

And for the first time since Jake had broken up with her, she wasn’t thinking about him, but instead… Jackson’s suggestion. A dog sure would keep her busy, as if she weren’t already busy enough.

It would force her to think about something else, force her to get out of the apartment. 

Maybe… it wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.

But the rational part of her brain kicks in. 

‘You’d have to potty train it. What about when you work? You live in a one bedroom apartment, there’s no space for a dog.’

It doesn’t stop her from pulling her car into the nearest pet shop, though, and when she passes by the front window, her heart is set.

‘Well that didn’t take long,’ she thinks, walking into the shop and straight to a pen of golden retriever puppies.

The one her heart had set on, the one watching her get out of her car, is now sitting patiently in front of the playpen where Abby stands. She reaches out a hand to softly pet the dog on his head, and his face leans into her palm, his tiny tongue coming out to lick her. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” she says softly, smiling for the first time in weeks. 

—

She buys the collar, the leash, the bowls for food and water, a dog bed, a few toys, small bags for easy clean up when the dog’s made a mess… and other essentials needed for a small puppy. 

The young woman who’s helped her pick everything out, who’s now bagging all of the items, smiles at Abby and the puppy.

“First pet?” 

Abby nods her head.

“Well you’ve started off the right way,” she says sweetly. “What are you going to name him?” 

As she looks down at the small ball of fluff in her arms, she realizes that she’s actually doing this. She’s responsible for this little creature now, and although she saves human lives for a living, this seems way more intimidating. 

Despite the sudden fear that overcomes her, she packs up the bags and the puppy into her car. He climbs over the console and into her lap, after multiple attempts on her part to keep him in the passenger seat. Eventually, she gives up and he falls asleep in her lap. 

As she approaches her apartment complex, she realizes she’ll have to pay the pet deposit. And after forking over another two hundred dollars, she makes the trek upstairs. 

“Welcome home, sweetheart,” she says as she gently places the dog on her floor. His paws are too big for his little body, and she grins at how silly he looks. “Go on, walk around,” she encourages, shutting the door carefully behind her and depositing the bags onto her kitchen table. 

She turns her head to see where he’s wondered off to, and panics when he’s nowhere to be found, but suddenly feels a small tug at her foot, and finds him besides her.


	2. Chapter 2

He was exhausted.

Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. 

He stands at the foot of her now freshly covered grave, his hands lifeless at his sides. There’s a spring storm floating in, dark clouds rolling their way over the sun. 

The people leave… slowly, one by one, until it’s just him. 

Lost. It’s the best way to explain how he feels. And when the rain drops pour, onto her tombstone, it only gets harder.

He doesn’t want to leave, but doesn’t know where to go. So instead, he walks slowly back to his Jeep. 

Putting things off would only make it worse, and he knew there were still things to take care of at her home… a home that was once his. 

An overwhelming wave of guilt crashes into him as he unlocks the front door and pushes it aside. The house, nearly empty, is a sign that she was prepared for this to happen, and hadn’t wanted to burden her son with her affairs. 

It only stabs further into his heart upon seeing the nearly empty house. If only he had checked in on her more frequently, visited more often… 

The stale air in the house is suddenly too much, so he presses his back against the wood of an archway between the living room and kitchen, and slowly falls to the ground.

Marcus Kane never cried…. but there was a first time for everything.

When he’s pulled himself together, he slowly gets up. There’s a stack of envelopes on the kitchen table, all made out to him. Most are business, he thinks; her living will, the documents for her home and property, life insurance, but there’s one that he can’t quite make of. 

Inside of the folder are just a phone number and an address. 

He’s tempted to call the number, in her handwriting, but doesn’t. He gathers up the rest of what he can, and locks up her home. 

The drive back to his own apartment is quiet, and quick. He settles in the for the night, making himself comfortable out on the balcony that overlooks the rest of the city. His bottled beer is sweating in the warm night of spring, and he toys with the mysterious phone number.

‘Fuck it,’ he thinks, and dials the number.

It rings once, twice, and then an answer.

“Hello?” It’s the sound of an older woman, a voice that he hasn’t heard ever in his life. Something gets caught in his throat at the thought, and he clears it before speaking.

“Um… My name is Marcus Kane. I uh… I found this number going through a few of my mother’s things.”

“Vera Kane,” the voice asks, and it’s like a slap in the face to hear his mother’s name again.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I was wondering when I’d hear from you.”

He’s at a loss for words, and complete confusion starts to set in. Who was this woman? Why had his mother left him with this stranger’s phone number and address?

“I… who are you?”

“Tell you what… meet me tomorrow at the address she left for you. I have something for you. Let’s say… nine o’clock?”

Confusion turns into frustration. He hangs up the phone in anger, tossing it onto the patio table next to his bottled beer.

—

He checks his watch. 8:23 AM.

Pacing back and forth in his small kitchen, he runs a hand through his hair. It doesn’t take much before he’s snatching his keys from the spot by his door, and making his way down to his Jeep.

He types the address into his phone and is relieved to see his destination is only fifteen minutes away. And when he pulls up to a typical suburban home, complete with white shutters and wrap around porch, he freezes.

Before he can change his mind, though, an older woman is making her way down the porch, beckoning him out of his vehicle.

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”

“I wasn’t so sure I would, myself.”

She waits patiently for him to walk around the front of his Jeep, and extends a friendly hand for him to shake. 

“My name is Charlotte. I was friends with your mother,” she tells him, finally. And although he’s relieved to know who this stranger is, there’s still part of him that wonders what he’s doing here in the first place. She’s leading him away from his vehicle, and back to her home. He follows her in silence, still disbelief that any of this was happening at all. 

Inside of her home is as gorgeous as the outside. Everything was in its rightful place, not a piece of dust or dirt in sight.

“When your mother got the news she was sick, she didn’t want to worry you with the details.”

“You knew she was sick?”  


“I had only gotten the news myself a few days before her passing, for which I give my condolences.”

He nods his head in a thankful way. He comes to a halt in the foyer, and she takes note of his impatience.

“Listen… Charlotte? I don't mean to be rude, but what am I doing here? What’s this… ‘thing’ you have for me?”

“Boy, your mother wasn’t kidding.” She smiles at how accurately Vera had described her son, and his short tolerance for the unknown. “Alright. Follow me, son.”

She leads him through the living room, down another immaculate hallway, and through a door that leads to an open sun room, complete with a screened enclosure. In the middle of the room lays a beautiful dog, a golden retriever, he realizes.

And with it, one eight week old puppy, who seems content chasing her own tail while her mother looks on. 

A smile suddenly spreads across his face, and Charlotte watches with a satisfied grin as Marcus bends at the knees to call for the puppy, who bolts to his side in seconds. 

“She’s so playful,” he says aloud, scratching the dark golden puppy behind her ears. 

“She’s yours,” Charlotte finally reveals, amused when his head snaps back to look up at her. “Here. Take as much time as you need,” she says, as she hands him a folded piece of paper. 

He can make out his mother’s handwriting through the thin paper, and falls to the floor as he prepares to have his heart crushed… again. 

_‘Son,  
I’m so sorry. As I write this, I hold firmly in my heart that I’m sparing you the ugliness of what’s happening to me. I’ve tried so many times to tell you, but I can never bring myself to put these burdens on you. You’re probably more upset that I kept this from you, but now you’ll only have happy, good memories of me._

_I know that you haven’t had much time to visit, and though I wish I could hold you in my arms one last time, I find comfort knowing that you’re a strong man… just like your father. We both loved you so very much, and we have always been proud of the man you’ve become._

_I’m writing this to help you through the dark times that are to come. When I lost both of my parents, right before you came along, I felt lost. You were the light that saved me. Please remember that. And although this may be a temporary fix, I do believe she’ll help you find your own light._

_I love you. More than the world, sky, stars, and universe itself._

_\- Mom’_

And for the second time in one day, Marcus Kane cries… with a small companion lapping at the falling tears.


	3. Chapter 3

She’s off of work for the next two weeks, by some divine intervention. In reality, it had been that Jackson needed a certain week off, so their schedules swapped to accommodate the other. It just meant that it would be her turn to work 14 shifts in a row after her mini vacation was over.

Charlie had been apart of the Walters household for nine months now, and although he had his accidents here and there, he really was the perfect puppy. They had an unspoken, effortless routine.

On days she was away from the hospital, they would wake up early to walk around the park. He’d sit at her heels while she did the dishes that managed to pile up over the course of her work schedule, they’d play fetch in her small living room, careful to avoid breakable objects. Once a week, she’d pile him into the bathroom for what constituted as a bath. She had established a vet as soon as she could, and was already on track with vaccinations. 

It was easy… until it wasn’t. 

The teething and puppy defiance hit at once, and she began to second guess her decision to get a puppy. 

There was one night, in particular, where she just couldn’t take it anymore. 

Just when she thought she had the potty training under control, there were a string of accidents that she found herself scrubbing out of the carpet. An expensive pair of work shoes she had just acquired had been shred to pieces. The trashcan had somehow landed on its side (she knew how), and trash scattered all about her apartment. The blinds beyond recognizable. 

She feels like she can’t win, and it’s only the middle of the day.

Fuming, she walks into her bathroom where the tears suddenly cloud her eyes, and everything becomes blurry. She slides down to the floor, with her back against the cabinets, and lets her head fall into her knees. 

She’s not quite sure why she’s crying; the stress of Charlie, the stress of work, the stress of being alone. Charlie is suspiciously quiet, which means he’s up to no good. She can’t seem to push herself up from the bathroom floor, though. 

And just before she thinks she’s lost all hope, she feels a pair of warm paws, heavy on her thigh. 

—

He’s already starting to wake at the rising sunlight coming through his window, and from the constant stirring of his sleeping partner next to him. He rolls over towards the big ball of fluff next to him, scratches her behind the ears, and throws the covers off of him.  
“Morning to you too, Annie,” he says before getting his day started. She’s at his heels wherever he goes; brushing his teeth, making coffee, cooking breakfast, dressing for their daily run. 

And when it’s time to leave, she’s sitting patiently by the front door, her collar and leash hanging from her mouth. 

When they make it to the park, Annie’s halfway hanging out of his Jeep. He wishes every day would be like this; a warm breeze with a bright sun, a few clouds in the sky, and not a worry in the world. 

After getting Annie out from the Jeep and stretching for a few minutes, they’re off on their run. The park is nearly empty in the middle of the day, partly to everyone else having regular nine to five jobs and thanks to all the children still being in school.

They start off with a slow pace, falling into their familiar position; Marcus on the outside of the track while Annie follows close to his left. A song called ‘Listerine’ by a band called Dayglow plays through his headphones as he keeps time with the music. 

They make a quick lap around the park before he slows to allow Annie to catch her breath, but the dog is keeping stride with him. He’s watching her closely, smiling down at her, and just as he goes to pick up his pace again, he’s jerked to a stop. 

He’s nearly pulled down onto the gravel track, but is able to catch himself just in time. 

It all happened so fast. He’s dusting the residue of loose rock off from his shorts, when he looks up to see Annie’s leash tangled with another dog’s. He’s not even quite sure what’s happened, or how, but he’s apologizing profusely. 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you.” He’s finally able to get a better look at the second dog, and realizes it’s another golden retriever, one that Annie’s quite fond of. And when he looks up at the person who’s holding onto the other leash, his heart suddenly feels like it’s in his throat. 

She’s laughing, at how ridiculous their dogs look, tangled up in each other’s leashes. He finds himself smiling at her laugh, wishing she would look up to meet his eyes so he could get a better look at her.

And when she does, he’s blown away. 

Her bright brown eyes are shining in the sun, and her cheeks are red from laughter and her run that’s been ended abruptly. Her brunette hair is swept back into a messy ponytail that sticks out from the back of an old, weathered Nike hat. 

“No, it’s no trouble. I guess Charlie here wanted to say hello,” she speaks for her dog, who’s curiously sniffing Annie’s face. 

He decides then and there he needs to hear her voice every day, for the rest of his life. Although she’s finally looking up at him, he’s too captivated to even speak, and she started to chuckle at his silence.

“Are you okay,” she asks, more seriously and afraid that he’s been hurt somehow. “I’m a doctor. I can-“

“I’m fine,” he promises, realizing how stupid he must look with the dumbfounded look on his face. “It’s not often we see another golden retriever in the park. Annie must have wanted to say hello, too.”

“She’s so cute,” Abby says, bending at the knees to beckon the pup closer to her. Annie goes without hesitation, and Charlie stays grounded to his spot. “Annie, you said?” She’s petting the female golden behind her ears, near her tail, and the dog is loving every second of it. 

Before long, they find themselves walking together as their dogs pull them along the trail. They don’t realize it, but their dogs are walking them, and it’s almost the most natural thing in the world. 

“I’m Marcus, by the way,” he says, letting go of the leash with his dominant hand to offer it to her. She shakes his hand, and smiles.

“Abby.”

“It’s nice to meet you, and Charlie,” he says, nodding to her own Golden Retriever. “How old is he?”  


“He’s about eleven months, I think? I got him nine months ago.”

“Almost out of the puppy stage then,” he states, and her eyes widen in agreement, knowing the ‘puppy stage’ all too well. “Don’t worry. We still have our moments, too,” he comforts, laughing at how relatable it all seems. 

“I just… I feel so bad when I get frustrated. I know it’s not his fault, but it’s like… can I ever get a break?”

He laughs. 

“Do you guys come here a lot,” she asks, motioning to the park and the walking trail they’re currently on.

“I try to take her every day, weather and schedule permitting. So I guess you can say we’re regulars.”

“Well… it’ll be nice to know at least one other person here,” she admits, picking up the pace as their two dogs get more comfortable with one another. “What about you? How did you get Annie?”

He’s thrown back to the strange, but kismet, day he had pulled up to Charlotte’s house, leaving with a barely two month old Annie. He’s not quite sure about bringing up his mother yet, so he shortens the story… considerably.

“A friend of my mother’s had puppies and I ended up with Annie, here.”

She’s trying hard not to stare directly at him, focusing more on the dogs ahead of them, but he sure is easy on the eyes. He’s tall, tanned skin as if he really does spend all of his free time outside with Annie, and somewhat messy hair that’s currently being held back by a thin headband. He’s handsome, and could easily pick up the cross-fitters displaying their abdominals for the world to see across the park, but he’s glued to her spot.

They walk the track twice more, conversation coming easy and effortlessly. By the time both dogs are struggling to keep up, they are near the parking lot. They stand next to his Jeep where he’s taken out a travel size collapsible bowl, fills it with water, and offers it to both dogs, who gracefully share the water. 

“Hopefully the nap is a little longer for Charlie thanks to all the exercise,” he chuckles, ruffling the puppy behind the ears. Even at eleven months, the dog had more growing to do. He was going to be a large dog. He chuckled again at the image of tiny Abby dragging along a golden almost as big as she was. 

“That would be wonderful,” she says with a soft smile, secretly disappointed that their walk was coming to an end. He must have felt the same way, because he’s offering to do it again… and soon.

“If you’re ever in need of a walk-buddy, just shoot me a text or something,” he says, reaching into his Jeep for a scratch piece of paper and pen. 

Her heart races a little faster as she accepts the piece of paper, and she’s sure it’s not from the exercise she just participated in.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments! I love it! The song that inspired this chapter is 'Combat' by Hazel English! Sorry for any grammar mistakes!

She sits at her kitchen table with her cell phone laid out in front of her. Charlie rests at her feet, and there’s a glass of wine in her hands. His number is staring back at her, and she takes another gulp of the pinot noir. She had been waiting all afternoon to text him, but was afraid of coming off as too eager. 

But he gave her his phone number for a reason, she tells herself, and the wine was making it a little easier to believe it.

She feels the familiar tingle in her face, feels the flush in her cheeks, and now is the time, she thinks.

She types out a simple, friendly message and reads it back aloud for her and Charlie before finally hitting the send button. 

‘Hey. This is Abby, from the park. Charlie and I enjoyed the company today. Would you like to meet up again soon?’

When he messages her back, she lets out a breath she never knew she was holding. With her glass of wine in one hand, she opens her phone with the other and reads over his text quickly.

‘Was starting to think I wouldn’t hear from you! We’ll be there tomorrow if you’d like to join us. Around ten o’clock?’ 

—

The next day comes quickly, and before she knows it, she’s hauling Charlie up into her car and driving back to the park. She spots his Jeep from the entrance and parks next to him. He’s leaning against the back of his Jeep, Annie waiting patiently at his feet. 

Charlie perks up when he notices the other dog, and all but claws his way out of the car when Abby parks.

She slips her sunglasses on, and exits her car.

“Someone was excited to come back today,” he says, making her head shoot up to meet his eyes. But when she realizes he’s talking about Charlie, she lets out a huff of air and shakes her head.

“You should’ve seen how exhausted he was yesterday. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do it again,” she jokes, bends at the waist to give Annie a quick pet. 

They begin their walk around the park, and fall back into their comfortable stride. The dogs take the lead, once again, leaving their owners behind to talk.

And they do this. Day after day.

Each day, they talk about something different.

Her work, his work, hobbies, goals, the past, the future. 

They’re standing by his Jeep, both dogs gently playing with each other. 

“So back to work tomorrow, right?”

“Unfortunately,” she says with a sad smile, reaching down to pet Charlie. 

“Well… at the risk of sounding over-zealous, how about you and Charlie come over for the afternoon? He and Annie can run around the property. I think I even have a bottle of that wine you mentioned somewhere in the pantry.”

She grins in the sunlight.

“Oh you do, huh?”

It’s impossible not to smile back at her. 

“What do you say?”

She looks down at herself, can only imagine how she must look… and smell, from their walk. He’s quick to follow onto her uncertainty and speaks up.  


“I’ll stay dirty and stinky too. Just you and me, hanging outside with the pups; nothing fancy, I promise.”

“Alright,” she agrees, twirling her keys around her finger. “I’ll follow you then?”

—

The ride to his house is surprisingly short, and as she follows him down a gravel driveway, there’s a clearing past some trees that give way to his home. It sits atop a small hill, with a wooded forest behind. It’s a very modest farm house, complete with a renovated front porch and wooden swing that hangs from the ceiling. 

It’s the complete opposite of what she had imagined, and it’s quite a sight to see his mud-covered Jeep pulling up to such a beautiful home. She smiles when Annie’s head pops out from the open windows, and as she jumps out of the stopped Jeep to run up to her own car, waiting to greet her and Charlie.

“This is your house?” Are the first words out of her mouth, gawking.

“I’ve got the keys incase you don’t believe me,” he jokes, walking with her up the cobblestone, up the wooden stairs, and to the front door. When he unlocks it, the two dogs take their turn and walk into the house, Charlie following as if he’d been here a thousand times before. It’s a small foyer, with a small bench that houses his shoes and an assortment of chew toys at the bottom.

He closes the door behind them, and leads her through the rest of the house. The living room is immediately to their right, and she notices the clean, pristine furniture; as if no one had touched it in years. They pass the kitchen, complete with a small wooden table, set for no one in particular, and out through the back door. 

She’s blown away again by the beauty of it all; the wooded land in front of her, the small pond that’s glistening in the afternoon sunlight, the hammock that sways in the breeze. 

“It was my mother’s,” he finally speaks up, letting his keys fall to the patio table as she turns around sharply, almost forgetting he was there in the first place. She takes the hint, can barely hear the sadness in his words, and doesn’t quite know what to say.

“It’s beautiful,” she says softly, offering up a sad smile, which still warms his heart. 

“I didn’t have the heart to sell it,” he says, watching as their two dogs run around the land. She’s walking around the patio, comes to the hammock, and falls back into it.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” 

A moment of comfortable silence passes between them, and he turns back for the door.

“I believe I promised you wine,” he says to lighten the mood, and she makes a move to get out of the hammock. 

“I’ll come help.” He shakes his head, promising her he’ll only be a minute, and disappears into the house. 

He’s back with two generous glasses of wine, and what appears to be a small remote. After handing her a glass, he presses a few buttons that has soft acoustic music floating over the patio.

“A man after my own heart,” she murmurs as she takes her first sip of wine, letting the music and sunlight wash over her. She knows how ridiculous she looks, clad in running shorts, a tank top, her fading Nike hat, and a full glass of wine, and suddenly giggles into her glass.

“What,” he asks softly.

“I’m just… we must look ridiculous,” she says, motioning to the way they’re dressed… with their glasses of wine.

“I promised you nothing fancy,” he chuckles with her. 

She pushes off from the ground with one foot, setting the hammock into a swing. 

“Well they’re having fun,” she nods off to Annie and Charlie, who have emerged from the trees, each with a large stick hanging between their teeth. 

“I bet they’re glad you took me up on my offer.”

She can feel the wine betray her, much like the night she had first texted him. Her cheeks are flushed, and her chest feels heavy.

“I know I am,” she says just above the music, hiding behind her glass as she takes another generous sip. 

Time flies away from her, and not that she minds, but she knows she’ll have to wake up early. She’s nowhere near drunk, but relaxed… and wishes she could be this way more often. 

“You know… there’s room here for one more,” she says, in the middle of her second glass of wine. He looks up at her, the sunset lighting up her beautiful face. 

The dogs have long retired, both lounging in the grass next to each other. So he gets up from his spot, and stills the rocking hammock long enough to take a seat next to her. The added weight of his body puts a dip in the material and she finds herself rolling closer to him. She sighs in content, being pressed against his side. 

Even after spending the majority of the day outside, he still smells amazing and he guesses as much, listening to her inhale deeply. 

“I knew I should’ve showered,” he jokes, and she lets her head fall playfully onto his shoulder. His heart beats a little faster at the physical contact, and he’s gripping the stem of the wine glass a little harder.

The continue to sway together, until she drags her foot to stop them, reaches down to place her wine on the ground, and takes his, as well. When she leans back, instead of resting her head on his shoulder, she looks up at him. 

Their faces are so close, and he can only think of one other thing to do. 

His hand comes up to frame her face and he can feel his pulse at the tips of his fingers, against her skin. Her hat had come off some time ago, and her ponytail had followed. Her wind-kissed hair was starting to curl around her face and he’s almost positive she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen in his life. 

Her eyes flutter to his mouth, staring at his lips, until he’s so close, she’s forced to look up into his eyes. He makes his move and ducks his head until his lips touch hers. It’s a soft, gentle, perfect first kiss with his hand still cupping her cheek. His thumb is caressing her cheekbone, and he inhales sharply as she suddenly depends the kiss. 

Anything that was or could have stressed her out, was melting away as she stayed in his arms, kissing him. Testing the waters, she slowly parts her lips to grant him access, and he’s quick to take the challenge. She gently moans into his mouth, and he’s gently pulling her closer to him. 

Their slow, now sensual kiss, has awakened something inside of her. She suddenly wishes they were atop a firmer surface, something she could easily straddle him on. But she can’t help but think that this is perfect… just the way they are now. 

Breaking apart for air, he looks down at her for any signs that he should stop… before things get more heated. But all he’s met with is that beautiful smile of hers. Swiftly, he switches positions until he’s laying the length of the hammock, and taking her with him. 

She giggles as they fight to maintain their balance, and his arms come out protectively to wrap around her. 

“We have an aptitude for looking ridiculous,” she jokes. 

“Making-out like two horny teenagers.”

She throws her head back to laugh, and her chest vibrates against his own, making him grin with her. 

“I wouldn’t want to look ridiculous with anyone else,” she says softly, descending again for another kiss. Their heads both tilted, learning each other, kiss after kiss. Her tank top has ridden up, exposing the tanned skin on either side of her. His hands find her there, and she moans a second time into his mouth upon feeling his fingers against her hipbones. 

His lips break away from hers, and find her cheek, her chin, then that spot…. the one on her neck that no one has ever been able to find. Until now. She can feel her arousal growing, and lets her head fall next to his on the hammock. 

She whispers his name, going for the same place on his own neck. His fingers tighten their grip on her waist and it takes everything in her not to grind down on him. 

She can feel his hardness growing against her thigh, and slows down their kiss. Her forehead rests against his, and he knows they have to stop now… before there’s no turning back. 

He reaches up to tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ears, and she rests her chin on his chest. 

“We’ll pick this up another time,” he says reluctantly. 

“We will,” she promises him, looking down at her watch and knowing she has to be heading home soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hopefully... the story will progress to more of a 'Mature' rating soon. Thanks again for all the views! Sorry for any grammar mistakes!

He can’t stop thinking about her. 

And as he awakens in the morning, the first thing he grabs is his phone to send her a message, but he’s already got one from her.

‘Thank you for inviting me over. Your home is beautiful. I’d love to go back… and soon.’

Rolling out of bed, he sees that she’s sent this hours ago, at around four o’clock in the morning, and suddenly feels bad for keeping her at such a late hour the night before.

Walking into his kitchen to fix himself a cup of coffee, he begins to respond back to her.

‘I’m glad you had fun. As soon as you’re free, you know where I live.’ He sends back. Heading into the spare bedroom that serves as his office, he gets to work. 

The day drags on, and he finds himself checking his phone more than usual. It’s not until lunch that he gets another message from her.

‘Hope your day is going well. But I do have a favor to ask, if you’re up for it.’

‘Anything.’ 

And before he knows it, she’s calling him. 

“Hello, Doctor.”

“Hey,” she says happily into the phone. He can hear the business of the hospital over the phone, and pushes himself away from his work computer. “So this favor… It’s going to be a long night for me here. I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to leave. Could you possibly take Charlie on a walk? Make sure he has food and water?”  


“Of course,” he says, without missing a beat. He can almost feel her relief over the line.

“Oh my God, I could kiss you,” she exclaims. 

“Consider that a payment for this favor.” 

“Gladly.” He can hear her smile. “If you’ve got time, stop by the hospital around four or five. I’ll have a few minutes.” 

“I’ll be there,” he says, before letting her get back to work. 

—  
When the time comes to meet up with her, he’s made sure to freshen up. And stops at a coffee shop last minute, buying something for the both of them. After texting her that he had arrived, he follows her instructions until he’s standing in front of a badge-access only door in the middle of a hallway.

A green light flashes above the badge-reader, and she’s there. He smiles upon seeing her in the navy scrubs, a stethoscope around her neck and a hospital grade cellular phone clipped on the waistband of her pants. Her hair is thrown back into a messy ponytail and if it were possible, she was even more beautiful than yesterday.

“For me,” she asks sweetly, pointing to the second cup of coffee in his hands.

“I saw what time you texted me this morning. I feel horrible for keeping you at my place so late.”

She beckons him into the physician’s lounge, and it’s his turn to gawk at her accommodations in the hospital. She takes a cautious sip of the hot coffee as he looks around the lounge, noting the huge flat screen that’s currently playing indie music, the row of wooden lockers that house their scrubs, coats, and other personal belongings. Leather couches strategically placed around a glass coffee table that displays medical journals and magazines. 

“This… is nice.”

“It gets old after a while,” she says, walking to her own locker. She opens it, rummages around in her backpack, and pulls out a set of keys. “I really can’t thank you enough for this. I owe you big time,” she says as she unhinges a key that’ll give him access to her apartment. 

“So… you’re absolutely sure there’s no getting out of here tonight,” he asks, and she frowns, shaking her head. “Alright. It was worth a shot,” he says, making a bold move and reaching out for her. She welcomes his embrace, letting his arms wrap around her. 

“Like I said… I’ll make it up to you,” she says, tilting her head back to look up at him. He decides then and there he needs to kiss her, so he does. She smiles against his lips, her arms going around his neck. Their kiss only lasts a few seconds, but it’s long enough for them to be caught by another physician. It’s an older gentleman who coughs, effectively stopping their kiss. 

“I’ll call you later,” she says softly, leading him back out into the hallway. 

—

He arrives at her apartment, and can hear Charlie barking at the door, sensing the unfamiliar person… at first. He unlocks her apartment door, and is hit with cool air, heavy with her scent. Charlie’s tail is wagging now, upon seeing it’s Marcus, and he gives the dog a long scratch behind the ears.

“Hey, boy. Miss me?” The dog jumps up onto him, licking anywhere and everywhere he could find. 

Her apartment is neat, and clean. There’s an unfinished cup of coffee on the kitchen counter. He doesn’t want to linger or snoop in her things, so he collects Charlie and heads out for a walk around her apartment complex. 

And by the time he’s walking Charlie back upstairs, the dog stops at his parked Jeep, smelling the tires and whining at Annie’s scent. Guilt floods through him, as he knows it does Abby, at the thought of leaving him here alone for the night. 

He doesn’t think twice as he texts her.

‘Is it alright with you if I bring Charlie back to my place? I can’t seem to leave him alone.’

It takes her a moment to respond back.

‘I don’t want to trouble you! This isn’t the first time he’s had to spend the night alone, unfortunately.’

‘I really don’t mind. Annie would love the company. She gets so bored watching me work. Pick him up whenever. I promise I’ll take good care of him!’

‘Second time today I could kiss you.’

He smiles at her text and loads the dog into his Jeep. 

—

She gets out of the hospital around two o’clock the next afternoon, after putting in the max hours for one shift. She’d have the rest of the afternoon and the night to recover before having to head back in the morning. 

She yawns, stretching in her stale scrubs as she pads back to her car. Pulling out her phone, she finds an array of messages, mostly consisting of pictures of Annie and Charlie. Her heart warms.

‘Look at my babies,’ she texts back. ‘They look like they’re having so much fun!’

‘We’re only missing one person,’ he messages back.

‘I’m on my way. Address?’

Before long, her car was coming down the gravel driveway and the dogs beat him through the door, both jumping and nipping playfully at each other as she gets out of the car. 

“Hey guys,” she says sweetly, welcoming the bombarding licks and jumps. Annie has taken to her he’s never seen before, positioning herself between the inside of her thighs, demanding attention as Charlie basks in the head scratches.

“I bet you’re exhausted,” he says, trying to distract the dogs to give her a moment of peace. 

“Nothing a hot cup of coffee and some sun can’t fix,” she says before grabbing her overnight bag from the back of her car. She follows Marcus into the house, where he has said coffee waiting for her. 

“You go back in the morning?” She nods her head as the coffee takes her words away, savoring the hot caffeine. He scratches the back of his head, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. She eyes him over the rim of her coffee mug. 

“Go on. Ask.”

“Why don’t you just stay here tonight? No funny business. I’ll even wash your scrubs.” He had let both of the dogs out through the backdoor at this point, to have some alone time with her. She had seated herself near the kitchen island, the mug of coffee between her hands. 

“It would be convenient,” she reasons, watching as he quietly slips behind her, and suddenly feeling his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging the knots that had built up over the course of her shift. Her head falls instantly, allowing him better access to her muscles, and she nearly moans. 

“I’ll even throw one of these in. Free of charge.”

“Well aren’t you sweet,” she says, her voice heavy with sleep. Only a doctor could sleep after a hefty cup of coffee, he thinks.

“Come on.” Suddenly, he’s prying the cup from her hands, and sets it down on the counter. He pushes her, gently, down a hallway, up the staircase, and around the corner until he’s pushing her through his bedroom. 

Her eyes scan the room, and takes note of the king sized canopy bed. It’s dark and cold in his room, and she wants nothing more than to strip her scrubs off and crawl into the sheets. 

Instead, he shows her to the master bathroom, where her mouth drops open. There’s a walk-in standing shower encased by glass, with a waterfall type spout. On the other side is a jetted-tub, which he makes a move for. Turning the hot water on, he lets the tub fill up before laying out a couple of towels for her. 

“Relax. Take as long as you want. I’ll lock up on the way out,” he promises, taking the bag from her shoulder and setting it down on the ground at their feet. He makes a move to leave her, but she reaches out to grab his hand. 

He’s caught off guard for a moment, but willingly lets her pull him back. Her hand leaves his wrist, and grips the back of his neck. She pulls him down for a passionate, but tired kiss. Her tongue slips between his lips, and explores his mouth, with fever.

She had been wanting to kiss him like this since she had left two nights ago. And alone, in his steaming bathroom, was the perfect opportunity to let him know. She had kicked her shoes off upon entering his house, so the height difference was all but helping.

She’s nearly clawing at him, unable to satisfy herself no matter how deep their kiss gets. She feels herself being guided backwards, until her lower back is pressed hard into the marble countertop of his bathroom. Their chests collide and she lets her hands fall to toy with the bottom of his shirt. 

His own hands find the bottom hem of her scrubs, and their kiss breaks just for him to pull the garment over her head. Her chest is heaving and flushed, and his eyes widen at her black-lace push up bra. 

“Saving lives, one sexy bra at a time,” he murmurs against her neck, and she swats playfully at him.

“It was the only clean one I had left,” she says in an unsteady voice. 

Their lips reconnect, more passionately this time. Her smell, her taste, the sound of her low moans as his hands find her breast; it’s all too much. He has to get closer to her, and now.

His fingers hook into the sides of her scrub pants, pulling them forcefully down her legs, and she eagerly kicks them to the side. He remains bent in front of her, staring at the matching black lace underwear she’s wearing, and wants to rip them off. 

“‘Only clean one left’ my ass,” he mocks her, letting his hands trail up her calves, and behind her thighs before effortlessly lifting her up onto the cold countertop. 

He steps between her spread thighs, and she locks her ankles behind his back.

Reality sets in, and he stops, his head falling to her shoulder as the sound of running bathwater reminds him where they are.

“I’m sorry,” he says gently, trying to step away from her. She pulls him back for one last kiss, though, before allowing him to pull her to the edge of the counter. “I promised you no funny business.”

“Well I didn’t exactly stop you,” she says, frowning as he leaves the spot between her thighs to turn off the running water.

“I ugh… I want that… to be perfect,” he says, motioning to her perched half-naked on his bathroom counter. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re done,” he says, helping her down from the counter and gently closing the door behind him, leaving her with a burning between her legs that made her want to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

She can appreciate the restrain he’s displaying, but knows it must be torture… because she feels it too. Stepping into the hot water, she sinks into his tub and lets the water soothe her tired muscles. She lets out a sigh, trying to gain control of her now racing heart. 

Hell, she didn’t even remember being this desperate with Jake.

She doesn’t want to be the reason this new found, now intimate, relationship fails- all because she couldn’t take her damn time with him.

This is unlike her, she realizes, abandoning all of her rules for Marcus Kane.

She didn’t kiss someone after only knowing them for two weeks, and she definitely didn’t sleep with them.

But there was something about him, something that made her trust him implicitly. She knew she could get up and leave with Charlie without a second thought, and he wouldn’t be in the slightest mad.

She couldn’t explain it, and wasn’t even sure if she wanted to. All she knew is that she was happy and carefree when she was with him, and two weeks be damned, she was going to break the rules.

Her eyes scan the bathroom once more, her attention falling back to the walk-in shower. It’s huge, she thinks, and the perfect setup for steamy shower sex. She can just imagine his hard body, pressing her’s against the heated tile of the shower, his hands hooking under her toned thighs to keep lifted against him, her breasts pressed against his pecks, his tongue lapping at the spot that drives her wild.

She shakes her head. The bath water is now cold. She towels dry, and changes into her clean clothes; a pair of black running shorts and her old university sweatshirt. With her dirty scrubs in her arms, she makes her way downstairs.

“Give me those,” he says, taking her pile of scrubs to his laundry room. She follows him, leaning against the doorframe and watching him with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You want to take a nap or something? I’ll have dinner ready by the time you wake up.” It’s a sweet offer.

“If I sleep now, I’m not waking up until it’s time to go back to work.” She laughs at herself, but knows it's completely true.

—

Even though there’s still a hint of daylight outside, she finds herself yawning constantly. He had cooked her a simple dinner, shrimp stir-fry, and had offered her a bottle of water. And as she sits next to him at the kitchen table, she wonders if this will become the new normal.

She rationalizes that she still has a life, still has obligations to other people, still has her apartment to tend to; although life was nice here. She doesn’t want to get ahead of herself, but she can see herself living here… with him, the dogs… all of it. 

He cleans up their dishes, offering her to take his bed if she’s ready to sleep. He settles on the couch, both dogs now inside the house and snuggling on Annie’s large dog bed. She can’t seem to head upstairs, though, so she lays her head in his lap as he finds something to watch on television. Somewhere between the opening credits, she falls asleep. 

He grins down at her, pulls the blanket off from the back of the couch to cover her, and settles in for the movie. But he doesn’t pay much attention to the television, and instead watches her sleep contently on his lap. 

He’s certain that he’s never felt this way about anyone else before, but he knows he can’t exactly confess this… and especially now. He wonders if she feels the same way, or else why would she be here? With him?

He feels her stir in his arms, and moves to lower the volume on the television. His arms come around to secure her tight against him, and he’s in love with the way she fits against him; like they were made for each other. He thanks whatever lucky stars for bringing her to him. He’ll never make her do anything she doesn’t want to, and that includes staying the night, or sleeping with him. 

When the sun finally goes down, and the movie is nearly over, is when she stirs in his arms again.

“Hey,” he says softly, reaching down to tuck hair behind her ears. “Why don’t you go sleep in the bed? I’ll stay down here.” She nods silently, stretching against him. But when she gets up, she holds out her hand. He turns off the television, locks up the house, and follows her upstairs. 

She had already put her phone charging on the nightstand that sat next to his bed. His bedside lamp is the only light in the room, and he watches as she slowly makes her way over to his bed, claiming the left side… the side he never slept on. He smiles.

“What,” she asks, voice heavy with sleep, as he switches on the ceiling fan and shakes his head. 

He takes a minute to himself to freshen up in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and changing into something suitable for bed. When he comes out, he’s got pajama pants that settle low on his hips and an incredibly tight t-shirt. His biceps nearly stretch the material, and suddenly… she’s very awake.

“Are you sure,” he asks, and she nods. He pulls the covers back, and claims his spot next to her. He turns the lamp off, encasing them in total darkness, and tries his best to relax. 

“I promise,” she says softly, “After these next couple of days.” He knows exactly what she’s talking about, and he makes a mental note of when her stretch of shifts would be over. But for now, he’s content with just holding her. He reaches out for her, and she scoots over quickly. He’s on his back, and she lays her head against his shoulder. Her arm is thrown over his abdomen, and he tenses under her touch, but just for a second. 

Exhaling deeply, she feels at peace… at home. And she never wants to leave.

He leans down, presses his lips to the top of her head, and closes his eyes.

—

The rest of her shifts take forever, but she’s finally on her last day. Between spending her nights at Marcus’s house and her apartment, she wasn’t sure where she spent the majority of her time. This particular morning, the morning of her last shift before another much deserved week off, she wakes up in her apartment. 

They had talked about what their plans would be when she was finally free of work, and that included him coming to pick her and Charlie up in his Jeep for a fun-filled week. He had even taken off of work himself to spend time with her, reasoning that he himself needed a short vacation as well. 

She can’t hide the smile that graces her face as she walks into the doctor’s lounge to lock away her things before rounding on her patients, and she’s itching to leave by the time Jackson comes through the door, his bag slung over his shoulder.

“Someone’s ready to get out of here,” he says jokingly. 

“I’m not fond of working fourteen shifts in a row. You can imagine how tired I am.”

“I owe you big time for that,” he says, giving her an appreciative look that makes her feel bad for complaining in the first place. “It wasn’t too bad, I hope?”

Honestly, it was some of the easiest work she had since starting at the hospital. What was so hard about it all was the fact that she couldn’t wait to spend time alone… with Marcus. But she wouldn’t tell Jackson that. 

After briefing Jackson on all of the patients, and making a quick round on them together, she’s rushing out of the doors, digging for her keys in her canvas backpack. She’s so caught up in her task, that she almost bumps into him.

He’s standing in front of her car door, a sheepish grin on his face and a bouquet of flowers in the other. She stops suddenly when she see’s him, and her mouth grows dry.

“Jake,” his name leaves her mouth breathlessly, but only because it’s taken the air out of her lungs to see him again… after the way he left her. She hadn’t expected to see or hear from him again for the rest of her life, but there he stood in the flesh. She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “What… what are you doing here,” she asks, unsure of his intentions. 

“I um… wanted to see you,” he says slowly. 

There’s an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She opens her mouth to speak, but her phone vibrates in her back pocket. She knows it’s Marcus, and wants nothing more than to get into her car and drive to him. 

And truth be told, she had nothing say to Jake Griffin. There were no apologizes, no sob stories that could win her back over. Nothing would make her give him a second chance… not after the way he broke her heart, and certainly not as she was just learning to trust another man. 

“I’m tired, Jake. I don’t feel like talking,” she answers, finding the car keys at the bottom of her bag, and unlocking the doors. He takes the hint, and moves away from her car. She makes a move for it, but he gets closer to her.

“Just a few minutes.”

—

She spots his Jeep instantly, pulling next to him. Relieved that the day was over, she slowly gets out of the car and he smiles when he sees her, bouquet of flowers and all. 

“Those sure are pretty,” he nods towards her flowers, and she barely gives them a second thought. 

“From my ex-boyfriend,” she says flatly, and he tilts his head in confusion. Fear overcomes him, and suddenly the air is a little thicker. He’s terrified of what she’ll say, terrified that she’ll end things with him to go back to this mysterious guy. She’s even walking away from him, which unsettles him even more. 

He opens his mouth to stop her, but he watches her throw the flowers away into the nearest trashcan, and his heart nearly stops. She doesn’t give them a second thought, doesn’t hesitate to throw them away, and he wants to scoop her up in his arms. 

“Let’s get out of here,” she says softly, grabbing her already packed bag out from the trunk of her car. Charlie and Annie were already awaiting their return back at his house.

He wastes no time, loads her things into his Jeep, and helps her into the passenger’s seat. It’s much higher off the ground than she expected, and when he turns over the engine, she comes to life. He had taken off the doors and windows in anticipation of their upcoming week, and she’s never felt more free than in this moment. 

She reaches for his radio when a familiar song comes on, and his eyes light up.

“You know this song?”

“I love this song,” she says, before maxing out the volume of his speakers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story has officially made it's way to a mature rating! Thanks again for comments and kudos! Sorry for any grammar mistakes!

He helps her out of the Jeep when they make it back to his house, and grabs her bag for her. She takes the lead, waiting for him to unlock the front door. The dogs don’t hear them come in, surprisingly, or they just don’t care… so use to the routine, anyway.

He shuts the door behind them, and she spins on her heels, reaching up on the balls of her feet to kiss him. He plants his hands firmly on her waist to keep him from falling back against the door, and kisses her back. 

She may have just finished her fourteenth shift, but she was nowhere near tired. There’s a fire that surges deep within his core, and he has to touch more of her. Like he’s done a time or two before, his fingers slip under the hem of her scrub top and she moans her encouragement into his mouth. 

His own shirt is quick to follow hers, and when she finally sees his bare chest, she stops. And stares. Her eyes trail down his cut shoulders, down his bulging biceps, over his flat chest, and down the abdominals peeking out from barely any body fat.

He had a runner’s body, for sure. 

She licks her lips, and whether or not she meant to, he loses it. 

Gripping tightly behind her neck, he pulls her back for a bruising kiss. Their chests collide and she nearly cries at the contact, her cleavage spilling over her bra and brushing against his own heated skin. 

There’s a pool of arousal already soaking through her underwear, and she’s gripping his biceps as his lips descend on her neck. Somehow or another, they’ve managed to make it down the hallway, and end up with her back pressed firmly against the side of the staircase. 

She arches against him, and he’s hiking her up again, like he had done in the bathroom almost two weeks ago. She captures his bottom lip between her teeth as he pushes her even higher up against the staircase, and he rolls his hips into hers. 

“Upstairs,” she mutters, out of breath and panting. She can feel him harden against her center, and if it weren’t for the remaining clothes, she’d demand he fuck her then and there. He carries her, all the way up the stairs, down the hallway, and kicks his bedroom door open.Carefully, he deposits her on the bed. She takes the time to toe off her sneakers, take off her socks, and he does the same. Her mind barely registers they’re about to do this, and he’s suddenly reaching for the drawstring of her pants. She holds her breath as he slowly undoes the knot holding her pants up, and exhales forcefully as he pulls them down her legs… torturously, deliberately slow. 

His breath is taken away upon seeing her half naked, her maroon bra and matching underwear the only things separating her from him. She draws her knees up, and his hand finds the inside of her knee, gently pushing her legs apart. He can smell her arousal, and his own arousal is straining against his jeans. He’s so hard, it almost hurts, and he’s never been more turned on in his life. 

It feels like he’s waited forever for this moment, and although he wants her now, he’s not rushing things. He wants it to be absolutely perfect.

Neither one of them speak as he reaches to hook his thumbs through her sorry excuse for underwear, and he sighs when he see’s just how damp the material is. Knowing that he has this type of effect on her makes him yank the thong down her legs, exposing her completely. 

He lets the thong fall from his fingers, onto the floor somewhere, and just stares at her. It’s his turn to lick his lips, and she aches for him to touch her where she wants him the most. 

There’s a moment of self-consciousness that phases her, and she almost sits herself up to protest him going down on her. But he beats her to it, and his lips find a tinder spot in the junction of her hip. Her hands fly out to grip something, anything, and she ends up with fistfuls of bed sheets. 

He continues his teasing on the other side of her body, until she can feel his breath tickling the spare hair covering her entrance. 

“Marcus, I-“ The self-consciousness comes back suddenly, and as she lifts her head to protest once more, she feels his hot tongue come out to lick her, lightly. “Oh, God,” she moans, lifting her hips to encourage him on. His hands anchor her hips back to the bed, and she swears. Upon hearing the curse from her mouth, he grins and uses the tip of his tongue to swirl the sensitive bundle of nerves. 

He could stay here forever, between her legs, and she’d let him. She can feel herself dripping onto the sheets below her as he continues to go down on her, and when she feels the undeniable tightness in her chest, she gently pushes him away. 

He backs away from her, just enough for her to sit herself up, and unclasp her bra. Her breasts spring free, and his hands move to cover them, but she swats them away playfully. His jeans are the next thing to go, and then his boxers. 

He’s standing before her, completely naked, and feels the heat rise in her cheeks upon seeing him. He’s straining against his lower belly now, a shiny bead of arousal threatening to drip down the impressive length of him. 

His knees buckle when her lips are suddenly around him, tongue coming out to swirl around his head, sucking any moisture she finds. She’s barely able to fit him inside of her mouth, and needs her hand to cover the rest of him. 

It’s his turn to let a curse slip from his lips. 

He won’t last much longer if she keeps it up, so gently, with fingers threaded in her hair, he eases her off of him. When she looks up at him, lips swollen and eyes bright, he’s now absolutely sure he’s in love with her. 

She positions herself in the middle of the bed, watching as he stalks closer to her. There’s a look in his eyes, predatory like, and it makes her shudder. She’s throbbing for him to be back between her legs, and when he grants her just that, she throws her head back against the pillows as he rubs himself against her. 

He’s able to coat himself in her wetness, and his head falls against the pillow next to hers at the sensation. Everything about her is perfect, he thinks. The way she feels, the shape of her breasts, the fullness of them, the flat of her tummy, the curves of her hips, her dripping sex. 

He stops, though, and looks down at her. 

“Do you…”

She shakes her head, and bites her bottom lip. Leaning up barely enough to whisper into his ear, what she says next undoes him.

“One of the perks of being a doctor? I write my own birth control prescription.”

He groans, realizing what she’s saying, and settles back between her legs. With one hand on his erection, he steadies himself against the mattress with the other. He positions himself, the tip of his penis barely inside of her. 

He looks down at her one more time, waiting for her to give him the okay. She pulls his head down to lock their lips together as he slowly pushes into her. She cries into his mouth as he stretches her from the inside. She’s tight, and small, and so wet, that he has to still inside of her before it’s all over too soon. She’s grateful for the rest, taking some time to adjust to the size of him, and before long, she’s begging for him to move. 

“Like this,” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper, and her head thrashes against the pillow.

“Yes,” she sighs, raising her knees to settle on either side of his hips. It effectively changes their angle, pushes him further into her, and he hits a spot that makes her see stars behind her shut eyes. “Fuck, don’t stop.” The words are out of her mouth before she can stop herself, and she doesn’t care. 

“I can’t,” he says, pushing into her over and over again, harder and faster which each thrust. She’ll have bruises in the morning where his fingers are digging into her flesh. _“Abby… God.”_

She’s never heard her name in such a loving tone before, and she can feel the corners of her eyes moisten. He’s so gentle with her, and when he comes back to kiss her again, she feels the tears trail down her cheeks. 

She feels the unmistakable coiling in her belly, the tightness in her chest returns, and just the thought of him inside of her, no protection save a merely pill of hormones, makes her spasm around his rigid member. His heart is pounding against his chest, in his ears, in his throat.

And when he feels her clench around him, he spills everything inside of her. She’s hanging onto him for dear life, and he thrusts sharply one last time before stilling completely inside of her. 

They’re both panting, sweat dripping from his shoulder blades and down his back. He realizes that he’s still on top of her, and rolls until their positions are reversed. It takes a moment for them to catch their breath, but when they do, she’s the first to speak up.

“Worth the wait.”

He laughs, and turns his head to press a kiss to the top of her head. 

“That was…” His voice drifts off, unable to find the perfect word to describe what he’d just experience. 

“Breathtaking? Amazing? Incredible?” 

“All of the above,” he says with closed eyes. 

—

When they regained their energy, he pulls her out of bed and starts the shower. She watches as he tests the water, and when it reaches the perfect temperature, he holds his hand out to her. 

She walks carefully onto the wet tile, instinctively covering herself until he drags her to stand in front of him, giving her access to all of the hot water. His arms wrap around her from behind, and her head falls back against his chest. They stand there and let the hot water run over their bodies until the steam fogs up the mirrors and there’s no more hot water left.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thanks for the views and comments! The next chapter or two will focus on each day that Abby has off of work during the week (hence the 'Monday' and 'Tuesday' in the chapters). Hope you all enjoy! Hopefully I can get the next chapter out today!

MONDAY—

He wakes first, on his side, with his arms wrapped around her. The mess of her hair barely misses him as its splayed out above the pillow. He’s not sure what time it is, but by the looks of obvious daylight pouring through the windows, he can only guess late morning. 

She’s still sound asleep, and although he wants to spend as much time with her as possible, he knows how tired she must be. So instead of waking her up, he slowly disentangles himself from her, and tucks the covers back around her. 

He dresses quietly for the day, and when he opens the bedroom door, the two dogs shuffle past him to get to Abby.

Charlie takes his usual spot by shoving himself underneath one of her outstretched arms, his head next to hers on the pillow. Annie, to his surprise, curls up in the crook of her legs, where her knees are bent from being cuddled by Marcus only a few moments ago. 

And none of it wakes her up.

As he passes the back door that leads out to his backyard, he can catch a glimpse of rainclouds in the sky. While he starts up the coffee maker, he can see it’s already ten o’ clock in the morning. 

He takes his cup of coffee, and makes his way outside, where he takes a seat on the wooden steps that descend into his yard. He watches as the trees sway with the strong wind that threatens to bring the rain. The sun is hidden, and the birds are chirping above him.

He closes his eyes, and inhales deeply. 

He never understood why he waited so long to move out here, and guilt slowly starts to creep in when he thinks of his mother. How happy she’d be to see him take residence in the house, how the woman sleeping in his bed upstairs had squeezed her way into his heart, along with her adorable dog. 

He’d miss her every day that passed, but it didn’t seem so hard to deal with her absence with Abby near him. 

And he wonders if their meeting really was a coincidence, or something more in the making. 

Bringing the coffee mug to his lips, he takes a slow sip and lets the caffeine bring him more to life. He spends a few minutes like this, alone, before two flashes of gold sprint past him, down into the yard below him. 

He turns himself while seated, and his heart comes alive. 

She’s leaning against the open door, wearing only one of his t-shirts that stop mid-thigh, holding her own mug of coffee to her lips. She has yet to take a brush to her hair, evidenced by the waves of golden-brunette, and there’s not a trace of makeup on her face; she looks breath-taking. 

Wordlessly, she pushes herself away from the door and takes a spot next to him on the wooden deck. Her feet are bare, and even in the overcast, he can see how tan her legs are. 

“I was wondering when you’d wake up.”

“I could’ve slept all day if you had just stayed in the bed with me.”

“We can arrange that,” he says, making a move to sip more of his coffee. Before he can, though, she steals a kiss.

—

They take the rest of the day to relax, especially Abby, who spends her time napping on and off again. It’s not until six o’clock when she wakes up from one of her numerous naps to complete darkness and the sound of heavy rain against the roof. 

Annie and Charlie are by her sides once more, and as she stretches, they stir awake as well. She’s pushing the thick comforter away from her body when he softly knocks on the door. 

“Hey,” she says, voice heavy with sleep. “You should’ve woken me up.” This is her usual routine at home, but she feels guilty for leaving him throughout the day for her naps. 

“You were exhausted.” He takes a seat on the edge of the bed, watching with amusement as she rubs the sleep from her eyes. “Besides, it gave me some time to work on something I’ve been meaning to do.”

She stretches once more, her shirt riding a little higher on her thighs. 

“Mind if I shower real quick?”

“Take as long as you need,” he says, beckoning for Charlie and Annie to follow him back downstairs. She pushes herself up onto her knees, and places both hands on shoulders. She kisses the top of his head lovingly, and he effortlessly grabs her, and lifts her off the bed. 

And after she’s freshened up, she dresses herself in a pair of gray joggers with a tank top, hair in a messy bun piled on top of her head. As she descends the staircase to meet him in the kitchen, she realizes the lights have been dimmed. 

Rounding the corner, she stops in her tracks when she sees the kitchen table set for two, various dishes spread about with two glasses of wine in the middle. He suddenly appears, with two empty plates, and stops when he sees her standing there.

“What’s all this,” she asks softly. 

“Dinner,” he says with a smirk, exchanging the empty plates on the table for the glasses of wine. As she grows closer to the table, he offers one of them to her. 

“You didn’t have to go through all of the trouble.”

They eat dinner and talk, just the two of them, and as her second glass of wine is nearly gone, he decides its time.

“So… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

She stills with the wine glass to her lips, her heart suddenly beating a little faster. She can hear the blood pounding in her ears, and she’s not sure if it’s from the alcohol or… the rain? It’s still pouring outside. 

He claps his hands once, twice… and then she hears it, the steady tapping against the hardwood flooring. Annie and Charlie come in from the living room somewhere, with new collars around their necks; Annie’s is pink and Charlie’s is blue. Their tags are new, too, and before she can manage to flip one over, she notices the two folded notes tapped to their collars. 

She goes for the note taped on Annie first, and when she unfolds it, a smile beams across her face. 

‘Will you be my dad’s girlfriend?’

The note on Charlie reads, ‘Mom, I kinda need a girlfriend too. Annie’s kinda cute.’

It takes no time at all for her brain to form an answer.

“Of course I will,” she says lovingly, reaching out for him, planting a kiss to his lips.

—

He sits close to her, both of them outside watching the rain, with their glasses of wine. He hasn’t managed to come back down from the high of her accepting them as a couple, and he’s not sure if he ever wants to. She fits perfectly in his side, bundled up with a knitted blanket. 

He ponders back to almost a year ago, and how different life is now. He hugs her a bit closer, realizing she’s what made it all different. And he hopes that maybe even a year from now, he can make it even more official. 

“Mmm. What do you have planned for us tomorrow,” she says barely above the rain. 

“Weather permitting, a very fun day on the lake,” he says. 

“Oh, the dogs are going to love that.”

And once the rain stops, the wine bottle goes dry, they retire to bed together. The bedroom door creaks open, and in come the dogs. He watches in amusement as Annie squeezes herself under Abby’s arm, and Charlie takes a possessive guard at the foot of the bed. 

“I see they have a favorite,” he murmurs in her ear, the cold air of the air conditioning kicking on, making her snuggle further back into his chest. 

“Who can blame them?” He can hear the smile in her voice, and he leans up to press a kiss to the top of her head. 

“See you in the morning.”

TUESDAY—

His alarm clock is going off next to him, and when she stirs in his arms, she sees the sun is barely up. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said ‘a day’ at the lake, were you?”

“We’ve got to get out there early if we want a good spot,” he says, his voice raspy with sleep. 

She gets out of bed, but reluctantly, even with Annie’s warmth tempting her to stay wrapped in the sheets forever. But both dogs are at attention when her feet hit the floor, and she grabs his hoodie that’s been discarded on the floor.

“Come on, guys. Let’s go outside.”

She lets them outside for the morning, and retreats back into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He comes in quietly, announcing his presence with an intimate hand on her hip as he reaches over her for their two mugs. She lets her head fall back to his wide chest, and he presses a kiss to her forehead.

“Go get ready. I’ll let them back in.” She nods her head and makes her way back upstairs where she takes a quick bath, ties on a simple bikini, throws on a light shirt and running shorts, and secures her hair into a messy ponytail on top of her head. 

He had warned her to pack for such an occasion, she remembers, and smiles to herself as she meets them back downstairs. He’s got her coffee in a thermal travel mug and a small ice chest big enough for the two of them at the door. 

“Man, you don’t waste time.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do this,” he says, handing her the coffee. She watches intently as his muscles ripple under the weight of the ice chest, and before she knows it, he’s leading the dogs out of the front door to his Jeep. 

Charlie and Annie take their spots in the backseat, and watch as Marcus fills the remaining space with Abby’s bag and the ice chest. They take off towards the rising sun, weaving in and out of roads surrounded by trees. They drive for what seems like an hour or so, until they’re clearing a patch of trees on top of a hill. She see’s the marina below, filled with boats. 

She’s been here a time or two, but only with her parents back when she was a child. And she smiles when she realizes nothing about it has changed. When they make it down the hill and park his Jeep, she grabs ahold of Charlie and Annie’s leashes to prevent them from running off. They sit patiently at her feet, Charlie playfully nipping at Annie from time to time. 

“Are we renting one,” she asks, nodding off towards one of the boats. He chuckles, and after locking up his vehicle, leads her and the dogs down the dock. They pass boat after boat until they come to stand in front of an eighteen foot Bayliner. Annie is the first one to jump onto the boat, as if she’s done it a million times already. “This is yours?”

“I bought it right before we met,” he says, looking proudly over it. Excitement washes over her, having not been on a boat in years. It seemed like the perfect way to relax. “Do you like it?”  


“Are you kidding? Let’s go, let’s go!” And suddenly, she’s the one rushing to get onto the boat. Charlie is hesitant, but follows Annie’s lead and leaps onto the boat with shaky legs. Marcus holds out a hand for Abby to take, which she does, and gracefully enters the boat without a hiccup. He hands her the bag she had packed first, then the ice chest, and finally jumps onto the boat himself. 

The dogs lay themselves on the small deck in the front of the boat, their tongues out and mouths spread wide. It takes him a few minutes to double check the boat, but before long, the engine roars and the smell of gasoline and lake water fill the air. He unties the boat from the dock, and they slowly make their way out of the marina, into open water. 

After they pass the ‘no wake’ zone, he pushes the throttle and the engine comes to life. The sun is high in the sky now, and the heat feels good clashing against the wind. She laughs as Charlie, a newcomer like herself, tries to bite at the incoming strong wind, unfamiliar with the sensation. 

She’s standing next to him behind the wheel, hanging onto one of the metal grips as they bounce on the water. With her hair flying in all directions, despite it being tied back, she looks over at him. She’s content with just watching him, taking her time to learn more about what makes her new boyfriend happy. And it seemed being out on the lake with her and their pets was topping the list. 

He snakes an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as they get closer to their destination. There’s a part of shallow water that they seem to be headed towards, and a sandbar that awaits them. He’s able to carefully position the front of boat on a bit of sand, getting them close enough to jump off the boat into the water. He sets the anchor into the sand, anyway.

Annie is the first one into the water, jumping off the back into the deeper part. Charlie follows her lead, but halts before the edge. The sheer weight of him is enough to topple him over, into the water with Annie, and at the expense of his pride, it’s the funniest thing Abby’s ever seen him do. 

Save for the splashing that Annie and Charlie are doing, it’s quiet and peaceful. She takes a minute to savor the beauty of the clear water, the dense trees that make up the shore line, the white sand that their boat is parked on. She’s thankful they’ve come in the middle of the week; they were the only ones there. She imagined this place would be packed on a weekend, now that summer was here. 

She hears the ice chest open and close, and turns to find Marcus with a beer in one hand, and his bunched up shirt in the other. Her jaw nearly drops, and the fact that she gets to touch this man whenever she pleases is enough to make her want to jump into the cold water. 

“A beer before lunch,” she asks, accepting the alcohol with a grin.

“We’re on vacation. Live a little,” he says, grabbing one for himself, and stepping out onto the sandbar. She strips down to her bikini and follows him out onto the sandbar.

“This is so beautiful,” she says wading in the shallow water.

They spend the majority of the day in the water, watching the dogs play and splash in front of them. They eat the lunch he’s packed and lay out in the sun together, until there’s no more beer and the dogs have fallen asleep on the boat.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see, Kabby fam. I won't even lie... kind of fell off the wagon with writing. But hopefully, I'm back! Sorry for any grammar mistakes!

WEDNESDAY--

He’s waiting for her down in the foyer, wearing a dark gray suit, his dark hair somewhat slicked back. The silver watch that had belonged to his father is clasped around his wrist, and he checks the time on it before lifting his head to the sound of heels clicking against his hardwood floors.

The dogs, who lay together in the middle of the living room, lift their fluffy heads as well, and Charlie lets out an excited huff of air at seeing Abby. 

She’s wearing a knee-length, navy blue cocktail dress that hugs every corner. And the nude heels strapped around her ankles are enough to make him grow weak. She has a tan-colored clutch that she holds close to her hip, and with one hand, flips her loosely curled hair over one shoulder. The diamond earrings sparkle in the dim light of his foyer, and if there was any doubt in his mind that he was deeply in love with this woman, it was gone now. 

“Wow,” he says breathlessly, taking her in. She shakes her head amusingly, rolling her eyes slightly. Even in heels, he still has a few inches on her, and he reaches out for her hand. She allows him to slowly twirl her around, and he thanks the Gods above for making the back of her dress low-cut. 

“You did say we were going somewhere nice, didn’t you,” she says, also taking in his attire. Her fingers itch to pull him by the black tie, back up the stairs and push him onto the bed. He nods, holds out his arm for her to take.

“Shall we?”

She smiles, one of her brilliant, heart-warming smiles and he could melt in his spot. 

Escorting her out to her car, he opens the door to her white Mercedes and helps her into the passenger seat. And after he shuts the door for her, she glances at the mud covered Jeep parked next to them. And ponders. 

She had the best of both worlds here with Marcus; dressing up in cocktail dresses with a face full of carefully applied makeup, all to sit in a nice restaurant with a few friends of his… or to pull up a pair of athletic shorts, hastily braiding her brunette hair, all to load up the Jeep with their rambunctious dogs for a day out in the park. 

They’re off, and in the dark of the car, she reaches out for his hand. 

She laces their fingers together. He squeezes, but focuses on the busy stretch of road in front of him now that they’ve made it into the city. Pulling up in front of the restaurant, there’s a valet that greets Marcus. He exits the car, passes over the keys, and moves around the front of the car to open her door. She can hear the pleasant sound of an acoustic guitar from somewhere in the distance, and she takes his hand. With knees and ankles together, she expertly gets out of the car and loops her arm through his. 

He leads them through the glass doors, speaks in a low, charming voice to the Maitre D’ about their reservation. They’re escorted to a round table in the middle of the restaurant, an assortment of white candles casting shadows. Marcus thanks the man, pulls the chair closest to where he plans to sit out for her, and settles her at the table first.

“Who knew you were such a gentleman,” she murmurs quietly, earning a grin from him. 

“I’ll always keep you guessing,” he responds, looking over the wine selection that’s been laid out on the table for them. He scans the list, but knows immediately what he wants. When it’s time, he orders a bottle of some pinot noir that she’s never heard of it, and when their glasses are presented to them, he offers his up with a nod. 

She’s just brought the glass of wine to her lips, taken a small taste, when Marcus spots the other couple joining them for dinner. The wine is dry, but sweet, and she licks at her lips before setting her wine glass down. Marcus stands from the table, holding out his hand for Thelonius Jaha to shake. The two men greet each other enthusiastically, as if haven’t seen one another in quite some time. And the woman next to him, Diana Sydney, is as beautiful as ever. 

“Diana,” Marcus says respectfully, leaning over to press a friendly kiss to her cheek. “I’ve been meaning to get everyone together for sometime.” After he’s said the words, he looks back at Abby, who’s sitting at attention. “I want to introduce you two to Abigail.”

Thelonius is the first to ask for her hand, gently shaking it. Diana gives her a friendly nod. And the other pair sit down. 

Conversation comes easy to the four of them, and Abby finds herself enjoying the dry wine more and more. Thelonius is pleasant to talk to, very polite and seemed to know exactly what to say. Diana, on the other hand, had taken a bit longer to come around. She was nice enough, and Abby knew of her kind from the hospital. You could see the disinterest in her eyes. 

Throughout the course of the dinner, she learns that Thelonius is some well known engineer for a big time oil company. Diana, a respectable public relations consultant specializing in investor relations, seemed to be of just as much importance as her partner. 

And when the night comes to an end, both couples stand and walk out of the restaurant together. Diana and Jaha are first to leave, driving away in a black Audi. 

“Well? Not too pretentious for you, I hope,” he jokes lightly, and she instantly knows he’s referring to Diana. She laughs.

“I’ve met worse,” she says honestly. And just as they’re approaching the valet, Marcus ready to greet the older man tending the valet, when a familiar car pulls up in front of them. Dread slowly sets in, and she feels her stomach twist into knots. She’s been inside of that car multiple times, and knows exactly who it belongs to. 

Jake Griffin gets out of the car, eyes trained on the passenger door. And the woman that emerges from the car is as beautiful as ever; blonde hair and bright blue eyes, full lips, and high-cheek bones… doesn’t look a day over twenty-one, and Abby suddenly has trouble swallowing the lump in her throat. 

It had been weeks since she had last seen him, when he had cornered her in the parking tower of the hospital with a bouquet of flowers. 

Marcus notices how she’s tensed up beside him, how her hand comes up to grab at his bicep. 

“Everything okay,” he says softly, unaware that her ex-boyfriend stands before them.

“Yeah,” she says, with a wary voice.

And then, it happens. 

Jake looks up with his arm around his date’s waist, and slows when he see’s Abby. 

“Abigail,” he says, voice full of surprise. 

“Hey, Jake.”

“You look good,” he says sincerely, breaking away from his date to give his ex-girlfriend a hug, but not before asking Kane’s permission. The hug is sweet, short; something you’d experience between two friends.

“So do you,” her voice holding a little more confidence. “Is this the new lucky man,” he asks, holding out his hand for Marcus to shake. 

“This is Marcus,” she confirms, her emotions in overdrive. The man who broke her heart… shaking hands with the man who mended it. 

“Jake Griffin,” the blonde hair, green-eyed man says, firmly shaking Kane’s hand. Surprisingly, it’s not awkward, and she wonders when they all had time to grow up… to become adults. If this had happened only a few years ago, it wouldn’t be this civilized. “And this is Lauren.” He turns towards the young blonde by his side. 

Part of Abby feels slightly… relieved. It doesn’t take much to figure out she’s the pretty, young intern at his law firm, that maybe Abby’s sudden break-up with the man in front of her had ultimately saved her a deal of heartbreak. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Lauren,” she hears herself say, but doesn’t recognize her voice. The younger woman flashes white, straight teeth and says something that Abby filters out. 

“Well, we were just leaving,” Marcus speaks up, feeling Abby’s hand tighten around his arm as the seconds pass. “It was a pleasure to meet both of you,”

–

The dogs are fast asleep by the time he unlocks the front door, letting her walk into the house first. Annie’s head lifts from Charlie’s neck, can smell that it’s Abby and Marcus, and can’t be bothered to do much else… her head falls back against Charlie. 

“Of all the times to run into them…” 

“I’m sure it was bound to happen,” he tries to comfort her, locking up the house and moving towards the kitchen, pulling out another bottle of wine and pouring them both generous glasses. She accepts hers quickly.

“It’s just so…” 

“Awkward,” he finishes, knowing well how she must feel. Although, when it had been his turn to run into his ex, he had been alone… and hadn’t cared to talk to her. 

“I feel like it’s a competition to see who came out better,” she says with disgust, taking a generous sip of red wine. He shrugs off his blazer, hangs it up in the foyer, and moves into the living room. Dim lights romantically light the room, and his mother’s old vinyl player fills her ears with crackling static. An old, slow ballad comes on and he turns to her with a mischievous look on his face. 

_“If I go a million miles away I’d write a letter each and every day-”_

He sets his wine glass down, pulls her out into the middle of the living room, twirls her expertly. She tucks her wine glass safely between them, unable to fight off the tipsy smile giving her away. They sway together to the slow beat, her cheeks starting to fill with color from the alcohol and dancing. His heart feels as if it’ll burst any second. 

This was his mother’s favorite record, her favorite song… can remember his parents dancing late a night, when they thought he was fast asleep up in his bedroom. And now… it was coming full circle. He knows their own kids will one day stumble downstairs to see the same display of love he had when he was younger. 

_“You’re cake and ice cream.”_

She giggles at the lyrics, and he twirls her slow enough for her to set her own glass of wine next to his, able to put her now free hand into his. Her cheek slowly comes to rest against his chest, and he presses a kiss to the top of her head.

_“You’re the girl of my, my, my, my dreams.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it's still enjoyable! Only a few chapters left, I think! :) Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Thanks for reading and sorry for any grammar mistakes! Happy Halloween!

THURSDAY –

She invites the girls over to her apartment for a day out by the pool; only spiked seltzer waters and gossip allowed. So when Callie and Aurora arrive, it’s hard to mask the bright smile on her face, anxious to tell her friends about the new love interest in her life. 

The girls lay out, their sun chairs strategically positioned for maximum sun exposure, and each of them crack open a slim can of alcohol, and they slip back into their old habits. Aurora powers up some wireless speaker to play music on, Callie passes around sunscreen.

“Alright, ladies. Spill the tea,” Aurora announces after taking a generous sip of alcohol. She knows their get-together will lead to no good, which is why they’ve decided to stay in for the night. Callie decides to go first, talking of some workplace drama that both Aurora and Abby found quite entertaining. 

Aurora has no shame as she explains the latest sexual escapade she’s embarked on; an older divorce’ who’s children were just as old as she was, and not happy about their father’s most recent love interest. Callie nearly chokes on her drink as talk of the older gentleman’s anatomy is explained in full detail. Abby smirks at Callie’s innocence. 

Abby knows her turn is coming, and she wonders if telling her friends about Marcus is a good idea. She knows they’ll tease her endlessly, bombarding her with questions about her new boyfriend. But these girls were like her sisters, and if Aurora could sit there and blatantly describe her new “sugar daddy”, as she liked to refer to him, then she could dish out a few details of Marcus. 

The girls have all cracked open their second round of drinks by the time Abby starts talking. The girls were aware of Charlie, had spent many afternoons in her apartment playing with him when he was a puppy. Callie had agreed to puppy sit one weekend while she was away for a conference, and Aurora had begged to use him as a “wing-pup”, to pick up potential men downtown. And she was damned if it had worked, too. 

But they didn’t know about the second new man in her life, another one who was so quick to make a claim to her heart. 

“So… I’ve been seeing someone,” she starts, immediately earning the attention of the two other girls. The silence that stretches between them feels as if it could go one forever, until Aurora lifts the sunglasses up from her nose and up onto the top of her head. 

“What,” she says loudly, turning other heads at the community apartment pool. Callie swats at her, attempting to get her to lower her voice. 

“I met him at the park while I was walking Charlie one morning,” she elaborates, sipping at her lukewarm spiked water. “He’s got a golden retreiver, too.”

“What’s his name,” Aurora asks immediately.

“Marcus,” Abby says, not missing a beat. She knows this game too well, a speed round of questions that never fail to change. 

“How old is he?”

“Thirty-two, two years older than me.”

“What’s he do for a living?”

“Cybersecurity. Analysis and consultation. Tests programs. Gets to work from home.”

“How tall is he?”

“Five-ten.”

“What’s he drive?”

“A Jeep Wrangler.”

“Auto or manual?”

“Standard transmission,” Abby says, locking eyes with her friend, refusing to trip up. 

“And the sex. How is it?”

“Aurora,” Callie exclaims, reaching out to swat at her friend again. 

–

By the time they retire up to her apartment, the sun has long gone down. They’ve expertly finished off the rest of the spiked waters, now lounging around her living room with rumbling stomachs. All it takes is one text to Marcus, who arrives with a large brown, paper bag containing half a menu of Chinese take-out. 

He intends to pass over the food, give Abby a quick kiss, and be on his way, but her friends have other plans. They all but drag him into her apartment, refusing to let him leave so quickly. He stays to eat with the girls, answering all the questions they throw at him. He doesn’t mind one bit, and actually finds it quite amusing that they’ve taken such an interest to him. 

But when the food grows cold, and the other two girls walk out onto her balcony with a bottle of unopened wine, Abby is the one to start clearing the kitchen table.

“Your friends are-”

“Annoying,” she says, cutting him off with the shake of her head. He chuckles, helps her with the rest of the mess. 

“I was going to say ‘interesting’, but tell me how you really feel.”

She’s rinsing off the plates, scrubbing them clean with a sponge, when she feels his arms snake around her. He rests his chin on one of her shoulders, watching as she passes the dishes under the running water. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night?” It’s a tempting offer, but he knows how little free time she gets, and if it meant giving her up for one night so she could have some girl time, it was well worth it. 

“You girls have fun. I’m a phone call away if you need anything.” 

And just like that, he plants a kiss to her cheek, and she watches him go with glossy eyes.

–

In the morning, she wakes first. The three of them had piled into her queen sized bed, just enough room for everyone to sleep comfortably- if your idea of comfortable was Aurora’s arm thrown over your stomach, and Callie swatting at Aurora’s pillow throughout the night to prevent her snoring. 

She untangles herself from her friends, throws on a light-weight jacket, and enters her living room. She rubs the sleep from her eyes and catches the time on the clock. It’s almost eight o’clock in the morning. And as she rounds the corner, heading for her kitchen, she slows her pace when she sees the bouquet of fresh flowers sitting in the middle of her table. 

There’s a box next to them, with a small piece of paper tapped to the front. 

‘Theses are for you. And the girls. If you want to share, that is.’

She lifts the top of the box to reveal a dozen of perfectly glazed, chocolate donuts. 

FRIDAY –

After she sees her friends off mid-morning, Marcus is waiting for her downstairs. The top and doors of his Jeep have been taken off, and the dogs wait patiently in the backseat. He had instructed her through text to wear something breathable, and to apply sunscreen… lots of it. 

So she dresses in a pair of athletic shorts, a sports bra, and a cut-out tanktop that scoops low on either side. Her hair is pulled up into a messy pony tail, and pulled through the back of a baseball cap. Sunglasses shield her eyes from the harsh sun outside, and when he sees her, he smiles. 

“Hungover,” he asks, getting out of the Jeep to help her with a small backpack that she’s bringing along, holding anything important they may need. 

“I’ve had worse,” she says dryly, letting him take the backpack from her. When the dogs see her, their tails wag uncontrollably, and they all but jump out of the Jeep to greet her. “Hey, guys,” she says, running her hands through their long fur on either of their heads. 

“Ready,” he asks, leaning against the driver’s side of his Wrangler. She leans up on her toes just enough to plant a kiss to his lips, and stalks around the front of the vehicle, hoisting herself up into the lifted vehicle.

“Let’s go get dirty,” she says with a grin.

They take off for a rated trail, and it takes them nearly an hour to get there. She’s astonished to see how many people have come out. The trail entrance is full of dry mud, and they bounce in their seats as he navigates through the other parked 4x4s. Up ahead is another lifted Wrangler with aggressive tires. 

It’s already covered in mud. 

Propped in the front seat is a woman who’s short hair is held back by a thick headband. When she sees Marcus, she jumps down from the vehicle and slaps the food of his Jeep as he parks next to her. 

Abby takes her time unbuckling her seat-belt, getting her bag out from the back, and opens the trunk to let the two dogs out. Annie recognizes the other woman, and slightly tugs on the leash in Abby’s hand to get to her. She watches with an unintentional smile as Marcus enthusiastically embraces the other woman, covered in mud and all.

“Indra,” he exclaims, nearly lifting her off the ground. 

“It’s been too long, my friend,” Indra says, her hand balled into a fist at Marcus’s back. Her eyes fall to the grown Golden Retriever at Abby’s heels, and she breaks away from her friend. “And this beast. She’s full grown, look at her.” Abby lets go of the leash, allowing Annie to run straight into Indra’s arms, and the dog’s tail goes crazy. 

Excitement in his expression, eyes lit up, Marcus looks up at his girlfriend. Indra’s eyes follow.

“And this is Abby.”

Abby holds out a thoughtful hand for her to shake, but Indra has none of it. She’s pulling Abby in for a friendly hug, and Marcus chuckles. 

“Abby. It’s an honor. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

“You don’t say,” she says, a grin playing out on her face as she glances at her boyfriend, who’s petting Annie between the ears. 

“And who’s this handsome fellow,” Indra asks, bending at the knees once again, but in front of Charlie.

“This is Charlie.”

At the mention of his name, he looks up at Abby, who nods her head in encouragement. And just like Annie, he doesn’t hesitate to climb into the other woman’s lap. He’s licking at her face, and knocks her over with his excitement. The group all laugh when Annie joins in on the fun. 

–

The rest of the day is filled with fun and laughter. They follow Indra and a group of other Jeeps through a thick forest, climbing over fallen trunks, small rocks, hills, mud puddles…

The sun is still somewhat high in the sky by the time they call it a day, caked in mud from head to toe. He’s got some in his beard, she’s got his dried handprint on the back of her shorts. And the dogs… she’d planned letting them jump into the pond behind his house at some point tonight. 

They say their goodbyes, pack up the Jeep, and head back home. He can’t help but look over at her as they make it onto a long stretch of straight road, her hair flying wildly in the wind. The dogs lay close together on the backseat of the Jeep. And it almost startles him when he feels her hand snake into his, their fingers lacing together. 

Something then and there comes over him; he doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve someone like her, someone who brings so much happiness and adventure into his life. He wishes she’ll stay forever, he wishes he’ll have the chance to make things permanent, he wishes his mother could meet her. 

He exhales deeply, but the wind is so loud in her ears, she doesn’t notice. 

But she squeezes his hand, anyway.

–

The dogs jump out of the back when Marcus parks the Jeep in the driveway, and run around to the back of the house, a new found energy. 

“How about grilling outside for dinner,” she asks, taking note of the threatening setting sun. It feels amazing outside, and she’s not quite ready to call it a night. He agrees, telling her to go and get cleaned up while he gets everything ready, but to his surprise she’s walking out through the back door; with one beer and one glass of wine. Tucked under her arm are two fold-out chairs. 

She’s still got mud caked in various places. 

He gets a fire going in no time, brushes his hands off on his shorts, and takes the chairs from her. He shakes them open, sets them down a bit away from the roaring fire, and accepts the beer from her. 

“To your first mud adventure with Indra,” he says, holding up his beer. She touches the rim of her wine glass to his aluminum can. 

“It really was fun. I like your friends,” she says, taking a seat in front of the fire. He follows suit for a few minutes, taking the time to watch the sun set with her. He nods in agreement, letting the cold alcohol calm his nerves. The words he wants to say to her are stuck in his throat, and the only sound between the two of them is the crackling of firewood. 

He cranes his neck, letting his head fall against the back of his chair. He watches closely as she brings the wine glass to her lips, pauses for a second, and takes a sip. Her eyes are set on the fire, and her face is illuminated by the flames now that the sun has gone down. 

And he can’t help but let those words come out now.

“Hey,” he says, barely above the sound of the fire. 

She looks over hopefully, her cheeks already flushed from her wine. 

And he’s positive he’s never been in love with anyone as much as he is with her… right now… in this moment, with dried mud all over her, her hair a mess, and cheeks flushed from wine.

“I love you.”

He notices the way her eyes slightly widen, and how her lips slowly part. He holds his breath, his heart beating faster and faster with every second that passes. His stomach feels as if it’s been twisted upside down, and he swears he’s on a roller coaster.

“I love you, too,” he hears her say, and slowly, watches as she gets out of her own chair… moving to stand in between his parted knees. With one hand clutching her wine glass, the other reaches out to steady herself against his shoulder. 

She leans down, presses her lips to his lovingly. 

He’s so happy, he feels as if he could cry, and he’s shocked when he actually feels the tears fall onto his cheeks. 

But they’re not his…

Opening his eyes, he sees how she’s struggling to hold back her emotions, and suddenly wraps his arms around her. Wine be damned, he pulls her down into his lap, and she laughs despite the tears that stream down her face. 

He presses a kiss to her temple as she settles against him, both of them watching the fire burn down in the night.


End file.
